Catherine Illenye, MA, LCSW

Catherine received her Bachelor’s at Rutgers University with a major in Psychology. After graduating, Catherine spent three years working with individuals with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness in the residential setting before obtaining employment in the Acute Partial Hospital Program setting, working with adults with mental health issues and co-occurring substance. While working full-time in the acute treatment setting, Catherine returned to Rutgers to complete her Masters in Clinical Social Work. In that time, Catherine completed two practicums, including an advanced-level internship at Acute Psychiatric Services Screening Center for her first year. In the final year of her Masters, Catherine completed her second practicum at Richard Hall Community Mental Health Center, conducting individual, couples, and family sessions in the outpatient department. Catherine is currently in her final year of supervision as a Licensed Social Worker (License no. 44LS06202000) under the New Jersey State Board of Social Work Examiners and receives supervision to do clinical work.

Catherine’s diverse clinical experiences have allowed her to work with many populations, including children, adolescents, young adults, middle-aged and geriatric individuals. Catherine’s clinical interests include working with individuals who have experienced trauma and abuse, those struggling with mood disorders, anxiety and substance use. Catherine is psychodynamically oriented, but uses interventions informed from attachment theory, internal family systems, trauma (including somatic processing), intersubjectivity, and interpersonal neurobiology. Catherine is a firm believer in the importance of the therapeutic relationship in creating healing change. This involves empathy and building trust via a non-judgmental stance, rooted in the belief that individuals are continually doing the best they can. Catherine’s focus in therapy is to assist individuals in finding understanding and movement towards self-leadership.